


Mended Pieces

by midnightbluefox



Series: Unbroken Hearts [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kylo's PoV, Pining, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-05 18:53:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17330507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightbluefox/pseuds/midnightbluefox
Summary: Kylo Ren is just trying to make it through each day, a lonely, cold existence, his scars and memories haunting him relentlessly. He doesn't even know what he's living for anyone, other than to simply survive.Until Rey, a barista in a cafe down the street, moves into the apartment next to his.-----------------Scenes from Broken Things in Kylo's point-of-view.





	1. First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I've been working on this for fun and decided it was about time I actually post it on Ao3. After I finished Broken Things, I had a really hard time letting go of it and my new story, Written on the Heart, has some of Ben's PoV chapters. So I decided to get some practice in by revisiting Broken Things Kylo and write scenes in his PoV and ended up falling in love. And here we are :D
> 
> These should be in order and I'll always title the chapters/explain what scene it is so they're no confusion since I'm not just rewriting the whole story from his PoV.
> 
> Thanks so much for all of the unwavering support <3

Kylo awoke from his nightmare with a sharp gasp, sitting straight up in bed. He was shivering, body cold and slick with sweat.

_Fuck._

He ground his teeth, jaw aching. He could still feel Snoke's phantom touch and the scars on his body throbbed to the beat of his sprinting heart. He rubbed at the larger one on his chest, trying to soothe away the pain. They always started aching on the nights that his dreams were more vivid than others. When he couldn't hold back the tide of memories.

Flinging back his covers, he climbed out of bed unsteadily, pacing his room to try and work off some of the frantic energy building inside of him. Images of Snoke invaded his mind and no matter how hard he pressed his palms into his eyes, he couldn't get them to leave. A pressure was building inside of him, a maelstrom of rage and hopelessness and the overwhelming need to escape, to run, _to just get him out of his head-_

Kylo whirled, snatching up a glass off his bedside table and flinging it at the wall. It shattered into a thousand pieces, peppered across the floor in glittering shards.

He panted, staring at the mess of glass and water. The storm inside of him dissipated, leaving just a hollow emptiness in its absence.

Pathetic.

He was pathetic, throwing things like a child.

Out of nowhere, exhaustion hit him like a wrecking ball. God, he was so fucking tired of endless nightmares, of being afraid to close his eyes at night because he knew what was coming. He was so tired of this life, this nonstop cycle of struggling to make it through day to day. If it wasn't for his writing, and his stubborn determination to just fucking make it, to prove Snoke wrong, he might have given up long ago...

A sound broke through his thoughts, startling him.

Was that a knock on the door?

He glanced over at the clock on his dresser. Who the hell would be knocking on his door at three fifteen in the morning?

Grabbing a shirt off the top of his laundry basket, he shrugged it on as he made his way to the door. Curiosity tugged at him but an underlying nervousness made him cautious so he paused, listening, but he couldn’t hear anything.

Turning the lock, he opened the door slowly, surprised to see his new neighbor from the apartment next door standing there. He'd seen her only a few times from a distance, when she was moving in and when they briefly crossed paths on the landing or stairs. Up close, she was prettier than he'd thought, a small smattering of freckles across the bridge of petite her nose, hazel eyes, and full pink lips. The giant shirt she was wearing made her look tiny, almost delicate.

She blinked a few times, like she was surprised he had answered the door. “Uh hi,” she said, biting her plush lip with blunt, white teeth. “I'm your new neighbor.” She waved off to the left where her door was, like he didn't know.

But he couldn't stop looking at her, completely caught off guard that she had knocked on his door at three in the morning.

“I heard a crash,” she continued, twisting the hem of her shirt between her fingers. “Like someone breaking in maybe, I'm not sure. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. Like, that you hadn't hurt yourself or a murdered hadn't broken in...” She trailed off, cheeks coloring slightly with a pink bloom.

Kylo grimaced internally. If she heard the glass shatter, who knows what else she'd heard. The thought of her listening to him whimper and cry out like a child in the night made his chest feel like an iron fist was closing over his heart. She probably thought he was such a freak.

And yet, here she was.

He looked her over again, wondering what exactly she thought it was she would have done against an intruder. Silly girl had probably never been in danger her whole life.

“Everything's fine,” he said curtly. He started to close the door, wanting to crawl back to his bed and forget this had happened.

“Wait,” she blurted, hand lifting from her side in a jerky moment as she'd instinctively gone to stop the door. “Are you sure? That everything's okay, I mean? I heard some noises and I thought-”

He willed himself not to flush with embarrassment. She'd definitely heard him.

Cutting her off before she just straight up admitted it, he asked, “Do you always eavesdrop on your neighbors?”

She spluttered for a second, clearly at a loss. He found it kind of cute, the thought making him feel strange, almost a weird feeling of apprehension twisting in his stomach.

“What?” she finally got out, a few seconds too late, her eyes glancing away guiltily. “No- I- I wasn't- _the walls are really thin!_ ”

Fuck. And there it was.

She’d probably heard him every night since she moved in, probably wanted to come see what kind of weirdo he was. His heart sank. He shouldn't care anyway, it wasn't like he tried to make friends with his neighbors. But still, the way she was looking at him, obvious concern in her pretty hazel eyes... it made his hackles raise. He didn’t want her fucking pity. She didn’t know a thing about him.

“That sounds like an issue for the landlord,” he told her coldly, stepping back into the safety of his apartment and closing the door in her surprised face.

Kylo leaned back against the door, feeling oddly drained by the encounter. Of course, he had to end up with a nosy neighbor, some girl who was probably going to tell all of her friends about what a freak he was in the morning. But he couldn’t shake the look of genuine concern in her eyes, the soft openness of her face as she’d watched him.

“I was just trying to be nice, buddy!” the girl yelled, probably waking up half of the apartment complex. “Excuse me for trying to have a little decency! I hope a murderer is breaking in next time!”

He snorted out a laugh before he could stop himself, the sound foreign to his ears.

The pounding of her stomping back to her apartment and slamming the door shut was almost as loud as her yelling. For such small girl, she sure did make a lot of noise.

When he couldn’t hear her anymore, he sighed, heading over to sit on his couch. There was no way he was going back to sleep, not now.

The encounter left him feeling almost as shaken as his nightmare, jittery from her words. The last thing he needed was some girl snooping into his business, even if she meant well. He just wanted to be left alone, to keep his head down and make it through each day one at a time. She had no place in his life, not as a neighbor or a friend.

He had seen the pity in her eyes and he hated it, hated how it open up an ache inside of him, a desire to share and be comforted. To not be alone. But that was the life he had made for himself and he had to live with it. There was no other path for him.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he let out a wet laugh. His fucking emotions were all over the place because of something so dumb. For him to even think for a second that this random girl could understand or sympathize with him… it was laughable. Ridiculous beyond words.

In that moment, he wasn’t sure how he felt about the strange, fierce girl who knocked on his door at three in the morning. If he hated her for bringing up these emotions in the first place, or was thankful that it reminded him of his place.

All he knew was that he needed to stop thinking about her.


	2. Rey Brings Kylo Thank You Goodies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who read the first chapter and enjoyed getting to see Kylo's PoV! Your support is always so lovely and humbling <3
> 
> This scene is when Rey brings Kylo thank you goodies from the cafe after he gets the landlord to fix her lock.

Kylo sighed, shrugging on his jacket with a reluctance that he felt down to his bones. He _really_ didn’t want to go to this meeting tonight. Time with Hux was never something he enjoyed, and he doubted that he was alone in that sentiment, since his editor was one of the most conceited and unpleasant people he’d ever had the misfortune of meeting. But damn, he was great at his job.

These meetings where they went over edits and changes always made Kylo feel a strange mixture of admiration for the things that Hux was able to catch or piece together to make better, as well as a bit frightened at how much a machine he was. 

He also knew that his editor would want to go over the list of publishers that he wanted to send Kylo's book too. Though there was always a part of himself insisting in the back of his mind that he tell his editor to not bother, the words never seemed to come out. Maybe he was more optimistic that he thought. Or maybe he just wanted to set himself up for disappointment.

He sighed again, making his way to the counter to grab his keys and wallet. But a firm knock on the door halted him mid-step, hand outstretched.

Two knocks in two days. Kylo had gone two months with less before.

He opened the door, surprised to find his neighbor standing there once again, a to-go cup clutched in one dainty hand and a white box tucked under her arm. She was wearing an emerald-colored sweater that brought out the green in her eyes and her cheeks were slightly pink.

“Rey,” he said, liking the way her name felt in his mouth. Short, sweet, and unique. It fit her quite well.

She offered him a soft, shy sort of smile. “I just got home from work and wanted to thank you for getting the landlord over to my place. My lock is fixed now, so thanks.”

Kylo wasn’t even sure why he had called the landlord. After talking with Rey, he’d gone in his apartment and stewed, unable to get the thought of her being locked outside of her apartment out of his head. Though they’d joked about murderers in the building, part of that rang true. What if she needed to run to safety or barricade herself away and couldn’t get the door open? What if someone grabbed her while she was struggling with her door.

He knew just how ineffective a locked door could be if someone really wanted to get it, but Rey wasn’t a scared child. But there was a vulnerability about her that made him think that she needed protecting. That made him want her to have a safe space that she could feel comfortable in.

Hearing the landlord knock on her door this morning had unexpectedly relieved him. It was stupid, he barely knew this girl, but she evoked a strange response in him.

Kylo wasn't sure if he liked it.

The last thing he’d expected was for her to come and thank him though. He’d seen the way she looked at him yesterday, the confusion and embarrassment when he'd tried to help her. He had been rude to her and first impressions weren’t easily forgotten.

Yet here she was, peering up at him with that small smile on her pretty face.

“Oh- I uh… you’re welcome,” he stuttered out, feeling flustered. If he had expected her to stop by, he could have prepared himself instead of being so awkward and uncomfortable. 

But she didn’t look phased by him. “Well, I wanted to thank you in person. And these are for you.”

She reached out and handed him the drink and the small, white box, which he took with uncertainty. Was she giving him a gift? Why?

“I didn’t know what you liked but it seemed a little late for coffee, so it’s pomegranate tea with honey, my favorite.”

He could see now that the box contained chocolate chip cookies in two neat rows, perfectly golden brown. She had brought him cookies and tea. They were a gift, perhaps out of obligation, but a gift all the same. A strange tightness wrapped around his throat and he couldn’t say anything.

A prolonged silence stretched out between them, Rey staring up at him expectantly, her cheeks getting redder with each passing second. But he couldn’t find the words, could get anything past the block in his throat.

After a few more seconds while he silently struggled, she cleared her throat, taking mercy on him. “It’s like a thank you and an apology at the same time. For the other night, you know, when I might have said something about hoping you got murdered.” There was that small smile again, this time a little self-conscious. She ran a hand through her hair and Kylo found himself noticing the way the brown strands slid easily between her fingers, the hallway light bringing out the warm honey undertones.

Everything about her was so warm.

Rey continued, not noticing his staring. “I was hoping I could explain myself and apologize for real, if you have a minute.”

_Shit._ He had completely forgotten about Hux waiting for him. He was probably late now and he could just imagine his editor already getting worked up, drumming his fingers against the table in that irritating way he always did.

“I’m actually on my way out right now, I’m running a little late…” He trailed off as she scanned his outfit and her face dropped, just slightly. 

“Oh, of course, sorry!” Rey started backing away towards her door, looking disappointed. The sight made Kylo instinctively want to comfort her, to take it back and cancel his meeting with Hux. 

It was a strange mixture of feelings. Part of him wanted to invite her inside, wanted to hear her unnecessary apology and see that smile again. But another part of him knew that he was doing the right thing by giving her an out right now, even if she didn’t realize it. She clearly thought that she wanted to be nice to him or get to know him, _or whatever this was_ , but she was wrong.

But watching her back away to her door, eyes downcast and face embarrassed, he couldn’t remember the last time someone had tried. The last time someone had given him a gift and spoken to him like she did.

She turned her back on him, shoulders curled in protectively as she worked a hand through her small shoulder bag. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I’ll just-“

Kylo couldn’t just leave her like this. He knew Hux was probably already pissed that he was late and would chew him out, but watching Rey desperately try to extract her keys and not look at him… he felt bad. If she had tried, he could too.

“Rey.” Her name rolled off of his tongue and she spun back around, eyes widening slightly. Her look of surprise made him smile internally. “Thank you, for the tea and cookies.” Kylo brought the cup to his lips, perhaps a little unenthusiastically. His mother always drank tea but he’d never had much of a taste for the watery drink. 

But it was his turn to be surprised when he took a sip and it was fruity and perfectly sugary.

“It’s sweet,” he said, more to himself than her.

He looked at Rey to find her watching him with a satisfied look in her eyes. “I might have gone a little overboard with the honey, I have a bit of a sweet tooth,” she confessed. 

Kylo licked his lips, tasting the sugary honey lingering on them. His eyes met hers and for a second, he found himself wondering if her mouth would taste sweet too. The thought was so out of place that he struggled to keep a straight face.

“I like it,” was all he could choke out, suddenly needing to get out of this hallway, to get away from her and her searching eyes and plush pink lips. 

He didn’t look at her as he went back into his apartment, closing the door between them with shaking hands. Setting the drink and cookies down, he braced himself on the counter and took a deep, shuddering breath.

_What the hell was that?_  

The surge of attraction he'd felt in the hallway almost made him laugh at the absurdity of the whole thing. It wasn’t that it was impossible, she was undeniably beautiful. But the only time he had ever pursued and slept with any women was when he had first gotten away from his old life. He’d wanted to try to erase the feeling of Snoke, to cover him up with someone else. But it had felt hollow and empty with every woman and usually ended with him slinking out in the middle of the night, ashamed and feeling hopeless. After a few tries, he’d given up and gone back to being alone and avoiding any women who tried to get him to take them home.

But now with Rey… he wasn’t blind. She was pretty and sweet and wasn’t running in the opposite direction, even after hearing his nightmares. What did he do? This was the last thing he needed right now. Any relationship he started, friendship or more, would always be doomed from the start. By that logic, he’d be a fool to even try. 

Kylo glanced over at the tea and cookies she’d brought him, remembering the sudden surge of emotion that it brought out in him, how it had literally stunned him. He couldn’t recall the last time someone had given him a gift or thanked him for anything. 

As he stared at the treats on the counter, he had a sudden, overwhelming thought that this wasn’t how he wanted to live his life. Not able to remember the last time someone had been kind to him, the last time he’d gotten a knock on the door or had a conversation with a potential friend.

He hung his head, tears pricking at his eyes, hands clenched in tight fists. 

Kylo had already accepted that his life wasn’t going to be a great one. He knew he’d never see his mother again, he’d never have a real friend or relationship. He had accepted this and tried to move on long ago, knowing it was just how things had to be, how he had to make sure they were. But the sudden thought that he didn’t want that hit him like a thunderbolt. It shook the very foundation of the life he had condemned himself to.

His phone vibrating furiously in his pocket snapped him out of his thoughts. Hux’s name glared up at him and Kylo hit ignore, wiping stray tears from his cheeks. 

He didn’t have time to think about this right now. As he left his apartment though, his eyes strayed over to Rey’s door and for the briefest of moments, he let himself consider the possibility of getting to know her. 

A little seed of warmth took root in his heart. 


End file.
